The APTA Technology Transfer Hub has defined its statutes in a ceremony held in the city of La Serena.

The rectors of prestigious national universities met to constitute APTA as a Private Corporation formed to transfer of the results of R&D at member institutions to the market, with a focus on the areas of mining, industrial production, health, agriculture and aquaculture.

The signing of the memorandum, which took place at the Hotel Diego de Almagro in La Serena, brought together representatives of the participating universities: Universidad Católica del Norte, Universidad de Antofagasta, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Universidad Mayor and Universidad de Santiago. These bodies are now partners of the corporation known as APTA.

Other participants in this project include the Universidad de Concepción, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez; Universidad de Tarapacá, Universidad de Atacama and Universidad de La Serena, as well as the Scientific and Technological Research Center for Mining (CICITEM) and the Millennium Oceanography Institute (IMO). The Hub has the aim of commercializing the applied research carried out by researchers at these institutions at an international level.

“I believe that this is an important landmark. I would like to emphasize the importance of this project and the participation of different universities from many places in the country. This strengthens processes of technology transfer, so that our research does not remain on paper and in articles, but is commercialized where it can be used”, explained Jorge Tabilo, Rector of the Universidad Católica del Norte, the institution currently leading the project.

Transfer of technologies to the world

In order to meet its objective of penetrating international markets, the model of APTA includes four “Co-executors”, entities with expertise in technology transfer that will bridge the gaps to commercialize technologies from participating universities around the world. These are KIM Global, Wasabi Ventures, UC Davis and ASEMBIO.

Similarly, the structure incorporates seven trade associations, giving the project access to a network of over 4000 businesses. This provides a link to industry, in order to generate applied research based on the current needs of the market.